York-based bicycle retailer Cycle Heaven and train operator East Coast yesterday opened the new secure cycle parking compound they have developed at the city’s railway station.

The facility, located at the end of platform 1 and with space for 400 bicycles, is managed by Cycle Heaven, and regular users can purchase weekly, monthly, quarterly or annual access.

There is a one-off rental charge of £15 for the fob that gives 24-hour access to the facility, and parking costs start from the equivalent of 27p a day for long-term users.

Anyone wishing to use the facility for a period of less than a week can check their bike in via Cycle Heaven’s shop on the station when it is open during normal hours from Monday to Saturday and, during the summer, Sundays - details can be found here.

Andy Shrimpton, owner of Cycle Heaven, said: “With some top-of-the-range cycles valued at several thousand pounds, peace of mind is very important to their owners.

“The new compound offers an enhanced level of security compared with the traditional open cycle racks. Early indications are that it is proving very popular, particularly among owners of higher-value bikes.”

Full details of the secure parking facility, including costs, can be found here.

East Coast Stations and Property Director Tim Hedley-Jones commented: “This new facility is a very welcome addition to our existing facilities for cyclists in York.

“The new compound offers a higher level of secure storage: we expect it to prove highly popular with cyclists, particularly those with higher-value bikes.”

Councillor Dave Merrett, Cabinet Member for Transport, Planning and Sustainability at York City Council, added: “York is one of the top cycling cities in the UK, with over 20 per cent of the city’s population commuting to work by bike every day and hundreds heading to and from the station.

“I hope that 2013/14 will be remembered as the year of cycling in York. With the recent announcement that the Grande Depart is coming to Yorkshire, as well as our annual York Cycling City Centre Races taking place this summer, cycling is becoming more and more popular among thousands of our residents.

“So, I welcome this new secure bike facility, which will hopefully encourage even more people to take up cycling.”

Are there any rules on how much cycle spaces rail companies must/should provide, and if so would this 400 be included in that. Seems a bit daft to give over station space to provide a facility that many people wont use (why pay when i can use free?). Afteral 'enhanced' security in one location is useless for most, as they still have to lock bikes outside shops etc.

Cycle parking and access have taken some major leaps forward in the past few years. The North access - which was being discussed in 1985 when the York-Selby path was being built has opened to deliver far shorter journeys to Clifton and the North via the riverside paths.

This year (at long last) a Southern (Holgate Road) access opened with gates that automatically close for overnight security.

More capacity also exists with a bank of parking, already well used serving the North End access.

47 years of breaking bikes and still they offer me a 10 year frame warranty!

At the moment we have a chicken and egg situation in this country regarding cycling, which is, people wont utility cycle because there are no decent facilities or infrastructure. Some believe that more cyclists have to come first and others that facilities and infrastructure needs to come first.

I believe in the later. Until people feel safe cycling, along with leaving a bike locked away securely at railway stations, shopping centres, etc., people aren't going to get out of their cars and cycle/part public transport.

Both myself and eldest Granddaughter cycle. Neither of us when traveling by train will cycle to the station and lock our bikes to a railing in the hope that the bike would be there on returning. Yet my Granddaughter gets to work by train every day. How does she get to and fro the station? One of the family gives her a lift and picks her up at night. I know for a fact that if we had secure cycle parking that my Granddaughter would be one that uses it on a daily basis, because she has continually complained about lack of safe cycle parking at the station.

Our local "rural" railway station looks so bloody tatty with all the bikes that people have to leave chained to the railings all day. I wish we had the chance of safe, secure, cycle parking.